❤ New Year, New Look! ❤

Woot woot! Happy Holidays!!! Finally, after several months I was able to do a last minute blog makeover! :-) 

The best part, besides being free :-), it was so hassle-free! Thanks to the ever reliable Photobucket, and to my new BFF, Picnik! I tried using it before, but since I haven't yet tried the premium edition (for a fee), it took a while to upload pictures. Now, it can actually access my pictures from my Facebook account. I feel like working with my iPhoto!  

And so to you, and you, and you... 

Photo Card using Picnik

Cheers!!! ❤❤❤

Posted by Chic Sassy Mom 1:08 AM

Our Fresh Fruit Basket for the New Year

Happy Holidays Everyone! :-) Sadly, I've been missing up on my writing, but I promise to write as much as I can after the Holiday Rush! There's really so much to tell...I can't wait to find time to do just that! :-)

Last night, I tried researching on New Year's Traditions, in a way to rationalize the many (and sometimes confusing) New Year's Traditions that we have in the Philippines. Well, after some reading and discussions with the elders/experts, I came up with the feasible and kinda practical traditions that my family can observe as well, with of course, my Number 1 must have,  Fresh Fruit Basket! :-)

13 Round Fruits on New Year's Eve

New Year's Fruit Basket

Why fruits? Well, they actually fruits have special symbol and meaning from myths from around the world such as abundance, which is associated with the Goddesses of fruitfulness, plenty, and the harvest. Fresh fruits on New Year means life and new beginning.

Apparently 13 fruits is better than the traditional 12! :-) This is because for our Chinese brothers and sisters, 13 is actually a luckier number. Why? From my research, the digit 1 when positioned in tens actually would sound like the word "definite" (shi) in Mandarin. While the digit 3 sounds like life, living or birth. Hence, the number 13, pronounces as "shisan", can mean "definitely vibrant" or "assured growth"! :-)
Posted by Chic Sassy Mom 2:10 PM

Travel Chic & Smart via Airphil Express

We've just concluded our last hurrah for our travel-filled year! ^_^ Timely that Iloilo, which was our first vacation destination for the year :-) would also be our last stop. Please read through my Boracay Trip post.  There's just too many beautiful pictures to choose from and so many great things to tell! ^_^... Also, my Microtel Boracay Hotel experience is already up and running. :-)

Airphil Express Airport Counters at NAIA Terminal 3

Anyway, for this trip, for the love of adventure (haha :-) and trying to be a smart (budget :-) traveler, I decided to try out Airphil Express. It's actually a revamped Air Philippines, and an affiliate of Lucio Tan Group of Companies with Philippine Airlines positions as the premium airline, and Airphil Express to play in the Budget Airline Segment . Truly, Airphil Express is actually offering a very budget friendly travel fare, and from the look of the share of passengers in the airport pre-departure area, it is already giving Cebu Pacific (a strong/leading player in the low-cost airfare segment) a good run for its money. And I can say that it is truly a worthy player! :-)

Posted by Chic Sassy Mom 2:02 AM

Microtel Inn & Suites Boracay Review

Welcome to the picturesque Boracay from Diniwid Beach with ❤!

View of Diniwid Beach taken while I'm taking a dip! :-)

After taking the more or less 5 hour bus trip from Iloilo to Caticlan, and then arriving at the Caticlan Jetty Port, and only to still take the signature boat ride to Boracay Jetty Port, the sweet smell of the beach, the sun and the pristine sand that Boracay Island boasts off is just another land trip away...oh well, almost there!

I love staying in Boracay's Station 2. For more of Boracay, please read on my Sun Kissed Boracay  Travel Post.Our earlier visit this year we stayed at The Sandcastles Apartments.  The Station 2 is center for sun bathing, swimming, shopping and dining area. We just then take a leisure walk to Station 1 for Jonah's fruit shake, the classic groto (shrine) and then have a more intimate swim besides the shrine, which I like better because of it's pristine water and white sand. But for this time around, we tried staying at Microtel. It's past Station 1 called Diniwid Beach. It's between Nami Resort and The Beach House.

Microtel Boracay Beach Front, View from the Beach, Great View from our Room, and The Main Hotel

Posted by Chic Sassy Mom 5:28 PM

Product Review: The Faceshop

I couldn't keep myself from expanding my Korean Culture fascination so I visited The FACESHOP (TFS) to get some travel beauty essentials.

Of course, I was almost tempted to splurge on the variety of product ranges they offer, and they even have some products on sale. The best part was that they boasts of natural ingredients. But given the limited time I was given to look around in the store (with my husband waiting for me outside), I focused and got only what I needed to have...and besides the Kim Hyun Joong giveaway is only to start this week, which is buy Php 2500 ($50+) and get a mug with his pretty face on it! :-)

The FACESHOP Intensive Sun Cream

Posted by Chic Sassy Mom 3:40 PM

I ❤ Cartoons in Facebook

I don't know if it's a country (Philippines) event or if it's a worldwide phenomenon, but my FB wall just got even better and colorful! :-) The profile pictures of most of my friends are now changing to the ever-loving and truly adorable cartoons back from our younger years. (Giveaway is their choices of character tells everyone what generation they are! :-) It just gives everyone a sweet reminiscence of the good old times when we are so limited to what was shown on our local TV listings and not even the Cable and now the world wide web.

But it's not just a simple celebration of cartoon characters...there is more to it, it is for a greater cause!!!

Facebook Status Update:

"Please change your facebook profile picture to your favorite childhood cartoon characters and invite your friends to do the same. Until monday, Dec 6, there should be no human faces on Facebook, but an invasion of memories. Let us support the worldwide protest against child violence :)"

Posted by Chic Sassy Mom 11:17 PM

Tone me up FitFlop™ and the world is mine for the taking!

Gotta ❤ FitFlop™ because they're truly amazing! They say that good shoes take you to good places!  And I say FitFlop™ makes great things happen...truly the world could be mine for the taking, at least whatever I make of it!

FitFlop™ walk the world like a star! 

Given my sedentary lifestyle, malling and traveling are the only way to keep me moving without complaining and I do so wholeheartedly. My two pairs of FitFlop™compliment my lifestyle perfectly! For me, seeing great places, already made extra sweeter having to share these scrapbook worthy moments with my loved ones, is even made extra-special with the added workout benefits I get while I walk to my heart's delight.

I have two pairs of Walkstar FitFlop™ in Bronze/Pink and in Black/Pink. I got them early 2009 and I'm loving them still. They are every money's worth and sure winner among my chic & sassy buys. Their functionality doesn't compromise their look or appearance. Through times and one continent after another of walking with them, they are still as stylish and functional as ever. Truly a chic & sassy girl's bff's.

The World is just a walk away...

Posted by Chic Sassy Mom 3:20 PM

Photo Blog: In Blooms

"Earth laughs in flowers ✿." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Hamatreya

Flower ❤  taken by Canon EOS 60D

Orchids taken by Canon EOS 60D

Taking my "shutter bugness" in the next level is truly an exciting and remarkable learning adventure. It's like seeing things in a whole new way...how simple and little things can look so artsy and even magical at times!  Please join me as I give photography a try.  Cheers! Posted by Chic Sassy Mom 9:36 AM